This invention relates generally to roofs for automotive vehicles and, more particularly, to a convertible roof and backlite.
Traditional soft-top convertible roofs for automotive vehicles typically employ four or five roof bows, most of which have an inverted U-shape spanning transversely across the vehicle for supporting a vinyl, canvas or polyester fabric, pliable roof cover. A number one roof bow is mounted to a pair of front roof rails and is typically latched to a stationary front header panel of the automotive vehicle body disposed above the front windshield. A number two bow is typically mounted to a pair of center roof rails which are pivotally connected to the front roof rails. Furthermore, the number three, four and any additional optional roof bows are commonly mounted to a pair of rear roof rails which are pivotally coupled to the center roof rails. The roof cover can also have a hard or rigid portion along with the pliable portion. For example, reference should be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,409 entitled xe2x80x9cConvertible Topxe2x80x9d, which is incorporated by reference herein. Most traditional convertible roofs are stowed in a boot well or stowage compartment that is located aft of a passenger compartment in a vehicle.
Traditional soft-top convertible roofs have a backwindow, known as a backlite, that retracts with the convertible roof into the stowage compartment. Traditionally, these backlites are angled, when raised, to provide a desired appearance to the vehicle and to facilitate folding of the convertible roof. Additionally, traditional soft-top convertible roofs can employ a powered actuator for controlling the folding mechanism that retracts the convertible roof. Typically, the rear portion of the convertible roof which includes the backlite and/or frame surrounding the backlite is passively controlled and rely upon the movement of the flexible cover to position the backlite and/or frame when the convertible roof is transitioned from raised and stowed positions. Furthermore, second and subsequent roof bows of traditional soft-top convertible roofs are also typically passively controlled and rely upon the movement of the flexible cover to position the roof bows when the convertible roof is transitioned from raised and stowed positions. When a rigid frame is used to retain a backlite, the passively controlled roof bows may interfere with the rigid frame and/or backlite when the convertible roof is retracted to its stowed position. This potential is most pronounced in a roof bow immediately forward of the frame.
In accordance with the present invention, a convertible roof is provided which includes a backlite that is substantially vertical when the convertible roof is in a raised position. Another aspect of the present invention retains a portion of a backlite within a frame that retracts with the folding of a convertible roof. A further and optional aspect of the present invention employs a backlite which can be independently retracted such that a backlite frame does not retain the backlite when the backlite is retracted.
In another aspect of the present invention, an automatically powered actuator is used to actively control the retraction of a convertible roof and a backlite frame. In yet another aspect of the present invention, a roof bow immediately forward of a backlite frame and/or backlite is actively controlled. Still another aspect of the present invention discloses a unique and novel way to control the folding of a convertible roof mechanism such that a backlite frame (and backlite when not independently retractable) retracts first, is stowed below a folding mechanism, and has a linkage mechanism that is driven by an automatically powered actuator with the rest of the folding mechanism. Finally, a vehicle having fore and aft seating areas, a storage area, and a convertible roof which has substantially nothing above a fore-aft belt line of the vehicle, rearward of the A-pillar when the convertible roof is in the stowed position, is also disclosed in yet a further aspect of the present invention.
Accordingly, the present invention overcomes the above shortcomings of traditional convertible roofs. A substantially vertical backlite is provided in conjunction with a convertible roof to provide a vehicle with a xe2x80x9cstation wagonxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csport utility vehiclexe2x80x9d look. To provide such a look, a convertible roof extends substantially to the rear of a vehicle with a backlite and rear of the convertible roof being substantially vertical. Optionally, a backlite can be retracted independently of a convertible roof to allow access to a rear of a vehicle without retracting the convertible roof. When a backlite is substantially vertical or a substantially rigid backlite frame is used to retain the backlite, a controlled retraction of the backlite and/or backlite frame into a stowage compartment is provided to minimize a required stowage area and provide a more compact folded convertible roof. When actively controlling a backlite and/or backlite frame, an automatically powered actuator is used to retract the backlite and/or backlite frame along with a convertible roof in order to simplify the convertible roof and minimize cost. Accurately controlling a roof bow immediately forward of a backlite frame to prevent this roof bow from interfering with the backlite frame and/or backlite when the convertible roof is retracted to a stowed position is also provided.